The Seealpsee Lake and Ascher Cliff hike from Wasserauen, Appenzell, Switzerland

Countless Bollywood Film-makers have rightfully placed Switzerland in the tourist map for us Indians. Be it the beautiful heroines swaying in their slick chiffon sarees in the Swiss Meadows or the handsome heroes driving along the flawless dreamlike streets, every Indian had atleast at some point in life, felt the burning desire to experience this beautiful country. And so did we.

Every year hordes of tourists flock to the likes of Interlaken, Lake Lucerne,Jungfrau, GSTAAD and all the highlights shown in their favourite movies. But there is surprisingly very low footfall in this extra-ordinarily gorgeous North-Eastern Alpstein Switzerland – not just from Asians, but from all over the world.

How we chose to visit Appenzell, Switzerland?

Well, digging out exotic secrets is yours truly’s forte 😉  Now, before I slip into a complete verbal farrago, let me quickly describe how we chanced upon this gorgeous place.

It was mid-February and I had just about recovered from Covid. It was a rainy chilly late afternoon. I was all cozied up with a steaming cup of coffee, browsing through places to visit in Switzerland when I chanced upon this Chalet perched on a hill. It was surrounded by vast stretches of undulating green alps shrouded gently by cotton candy clouds giving the entire place a dream-like ambience.

This is where “Heidi” lived!!! – was my immediate reaction. From then on, I just knew I had to include Appenzell in our Swiss iterinary.

How to Reach Appenzell?

Appenzell falls in the North-Eastern part of Switzerland, bordering Austria. It is just about a 2 hour drive from Zurich/Lucerne. We were based in Winterthur and drove for a little less than 90 minutes to reach our trekking spot.

The Road Trip From Frankfurt to Appenzell, Starts. . .

Appenzell is accessible both by trains and cars. However, Appenzell in itself is car-free. We had already hired a car for our week in Switzerland. The trains are a good option if you have purchased the Swiss-Travel Pass.

The Journey to Wasserauen, Appenzell

The journey from Winterthur to Wasserauen offered a fabulous change in scenery. Preened grasses, clear skies, tiny rivulets and sprouting flowers made for a perfect start to our week long Swiss-road-trip. But all in all, it was typical Switzerland.

Driving through preened grasses, cloudy skies and sprouting wild flowers made a perfect start to the roadtrip

The ‘Ridges’, ‘Sassy Clouds’ and sights of Paragliders from nowhere screamed, “Welcome to Appenzell”!!!

There was a sudden change in the entire landscape once we entered the Alp stein region.  The far ends of the both sides of the streets were covered with ridges and the ‘sassy clouds’ wobbled nearer and nearer as we approached closer and closer to our destination. In our last 10 minutes drive, we were witness to a horde of paragliders jumping from extreme heights with their colourful parachutes.

Seealpsee Lake Hike, Wasserauen, Appenzell – Statistics

You can bring your car to Wasserauen which is also the starting point of all treks.

The Hike Map of Appenzell and your ‘Bible’ for the Day. . .

Google Maps brought us straight to the parking spot, where we parked our car for a couple of hours.

Starting Point :Wasserauen

Starting Point Elevation  (Wasserauen): 876 mtr

Destination Elevation   (Seealpsee Lake) : 1141 mtr

Distance : 2.9 km

Time Required : 1 hour for one-way journey (May be less or more depending on individual pace and photostops)

Difficulty Level : Easy to Moderate

The Seealpsee lake Trek Details (Wasserauen to Seealpsee Lake)

And thus started the most scenic hikes of our lives. The routes were clearly marked and you can just follow the signs and reach your respective hike destination.

Clear Indications of Directions once you start off from Wasseauen, Appenzell

The Seealpsee Trek was the easiest of the lot and most suited to beginners and newbies. There are two routes to reach the lake

a) The Jungle Route (For Adventure): Reach the Hike Starting Point at Wasserauen and take the left route. You will then enter a forest where you will encounter waterfalls and caves along the way. The trail is an uneven elevated path and might excite adventurous travelers. But we had already done a jungle trek a few months back, back home at Cherrapunjee. So, we decided to skip adventure and go with the more scenic Valley Route.

b) The Valley Route (For Natural Beauty): This route is a neatly constructed path, surrounded on all sides by meadows, hills and ravines. The natural beauty that greets you throughout the trek is unparalleled.

The Valley Route for the Trek – Pretty isn’t it???

Oh the Climb – The Route was pretty straightforward but it was quite an elevation. . .

The gushing soundscape of streams and waterfalls accompanied us throughout the trip.  After about an hour of steep slope gave way to flat land and we could see a quaint Alpine Chalet right next to a ‘Blue Lake’.

Seealpsee Lake – First Glance

Still can’t get over the beauty of the ‘Seealpsee Lake’! Heavenly . . .

The Clearest Reflection I have ever seen!!! Can never get enough of this. . .

The still lake, Seealpsee offers an amazing backdrop. The mighty hills – the likes of Rotstein and Santis are clearly reflected in the waters. As it was the Spring time, colourful wild flowers were in full bloom and they spurt effortlessly near the lake

Things to Do at Seealpsee Lake

a. Have a Quick Snack/Carry a Picnic

Cup Noodles with a View!!!

The hike and fresh air had really worked up our appetite and we decided to rest for a while and enjoy Cup Noodles gazing at this amazing scenery. The entire air had a serene romantic vibe; so much so that we were completely immersed in each other as we were immersed in this beautiful nature.

Alternatively, you can carry a picnic and make your spread at a spot of your choice. Trust us, you won’t get a better ambience!!!

b. Walk Around the Lake

And then the view changes from barren brown mountain reflection to fresh green. . .And we kept walking….

Green Meadows and Forests on the way to the 2nd Hike of the Day. . .

Spring in Full Bloom!!!

After having our fill, we decided to explore the other end of the lake. The circumference of the lake was a good one kilometer. We stopped for photos on the way. And by the time we reached the other end, we were again famished and wanted to get a quick bite. Luckily the Chalet Restaurant was open. We relished on the Swiss Milk Tea, Cholermus and Marmalade.

c. Take the Boat to Row along Seealpsee

You can hire a self-row boat and enjoy the beauty of the lake. The cost is around 5 Euros per half an hour. Luckily for us, the boat was available for free!

Seealpsee to Ascher Cliff Trek

Starting Point Elevation (Seealpsee) : 1141 mtr

End Point Elevation (Aescher Cliff) : 1587 mtr

Distance 5.8 km

Time Required: 2 hours for one way journey

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Difficult

After taking plenty of time to admire the picturesque Seealpsee guarded by the majestic and mighty Santis at the background, we continued our ascend to Aescher Cliff. The Aescher Mountain Restaurant, perched precariously on the base on a 100 metres high vertical edge is indeed the highlight of this hike.

The Ridge Route Starts —- Hike To Ascher Cliff

The strenuous ascend really put us through our paces. We would rather rate this hike as ‘Moderate to Difficult’. The mountain path ascends steeply along a slope following a rocky-edgy path. However, throughout the hike, we were treated to such ethereal views that made all the puffing and panting worth the effort.

The ‘Ascher Cliff’ oozing out Story Book Charm – Making the entire strenuous trek worth the effort!!!

We spent some time soaking in the panaromic views from the cliff and then continued our downward descent to Wasserauen, car parking lot (the start point of our hike)

Alternate Route to Seealpsee via Ebenalp and Ascher

Alternatively, you can take the cable car to Ebenalp from Seealpsee and Trek Downwards to Ascher Cliff and then onwards to Seealpsee and Wasserauen.

DETAILS

Address: Ebenalp Cable Car, Schwendetalstrasse 82, 9057 Wasserauen

Tickets: Adult, one-way 20 CHF, return 31 CHF. Children, one-way 7.50 CHF, return 12 CHF. Children up to age 6 go free

Timings: The cable car runs every 15 minutes in summer from May to November.

Things to Note: This Trek would feature in the “Difficult” Category, especially the trek from Ebenalp to Ascher. Hence, do not attempt this if you are a newbie. Seasoned hikers would require a total of 7 to 8 hours to complete the trek. Hence, it is a complete no-no if you are only there for the day and do not wish to stay overnight. Also, it is imperative that you start the Trek early in the day.

Parting Thoughts

No where else in Switzerland is the change from the hilly landscape of Central Switzerland to the craggy Alps so abrupt or impressive as the Alpstein area. Mighty rock formations up to more than 2500 m high tower up as if from nowhere.

Heidi’s Paradise – The Alpstein Region in Switzerland truly oozes a dream-like charm. It transported me to a fairy-tale wonderland, a place so delicately etched in my childhood memories yet so vivid and clear. I strongly felt as if the entire universe conspired in making this childhood dream a reality. As I pranced through the ridges and mountain side paths, just like ‘Heidi’ did, a surge of nostalgia ran past me – “Dreams Do Come True”. . .